Panthers sign three former XFL standouts, three others ahead of OTA workouts in Carolina

The Panthers have added a trio of former XFL standouts to their roster following the team’s rookie minicamp tryouts.

On Monday, the team announced the signings of wideout Gary Jennings, defensive end Antwuan Jackson and tight end-turned-edge rusher Jordan Thomas. Jennings, Jackson and Thomas all participated in this past weekend’s rookie minicamp as tryout players.

Thomas might be the most interesting of the three signings. He played both tight end and edge rusher during the minicamp, changing jerseys every time he switched sides of the ball. He impressed on Saturday, specifically at tight end.

Thomas played for the Orlando Guardians in the XFL this past season. He was originally a 2018 sixth-round NFL Draft pick of the Houston Texans. During his Houston career, Thomas caught 21 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots in 2020, catching one pass for three yards and a score.

With Thomas converting to outside linebacker, he will be seen as a a project player at the position. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 277 pounds, he projects as a strong-side edge defender.

The 26-year-old Mississippi State alum will compete with Amare Barno, Yetur Gross-Matos, Kobe Jones and third-round pick DJ Johnson for playing time.

Jennings, a 2019 fourth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks, spent the spring playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks. Jennings was drafted by Seattle when Panthers GM Scott Fitterer worked for the organization. Jennings bounced around with seven different NFL teams before joining the XFL this year. The Panthers are Jennings’ eight squad in five years.

The West Virginia alum, listed 6-foot-1 and 216 pounds, has appeared in just one NFL game. He turned 26 in March. He will compete with the likes of Shi Smith, Damiere Byrd, Laviska Shenault and others in camp.

Jackson, an Ohio State alum, played for the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL this spring. While he doesn’t have NFL experience, Jackson is still relatively young, having been drafted eligible in 2022.

Listed as 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds, Jackson is likely to compete for a defensive end job on the depth chart. He will compete with Henry Anderson, John Penisini and others for a backup role in OTAs and training camp.

Along with Jennings, Jackson and Thomas, the Panthers also signed wideout Marquez Stevenson and safety Vernon Scott on Monday.

Scott, listed as 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, was a 2020 seventh-round pick of the Green Bay Packers. The TCU alum spent the past three seasons with the NFC North franchise. He had 14 tackles and a sack in 18 career games.

Stevenson was a 2021 sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills. The Houston alum was mostly used as a punt returner during his two years in Buffalo. In 2021, he appeared in five games, picking up 9.4 yards per punt return on 14 attempts. He also averaged 23.6 yards per kick return on seven returns.

UPDATE (5:22 p.m.): Along with the five previously reported signings, the Panthers also added rookie linebacker Ayinde Eley and waived undrafted rookie safety Nico Bolden on Monday.

Eley was the fifth tryout player to be signed by the Panthers following rookie minicamp. Eley, Jackson, Jennings, Scott and Thomas all participated in the camp. Eley, a Georgia Tech alum, started 23 games over the past two seasons with the Yellow Jackets.

The 6-foot-3, 233-pound linebacker will compete for a depth job behind Shaq Thompson and Frankie Luvu during training camp. His top competition will be Kamu Grugier-Hill and Brandon Smith, the team’s fourth-round pick from last offseason.

Bolden was signed as an undrafted free agent this past weekend. However, with the team opting to sign Scott, the rookie became expendable. He will now be subject to waivers.